Arctic ice cover has shrunk faster this summer than in any year since reliable satellite imagery of the polar cap became available in 1979. A record has been set for the lowest recorded northern hemisphere sea ice area, and we still have five or six weeks of ice melt before the usual minima.
A user pointed out this graph and map showing clearly the magnitude of ice melt. Replacement of ice with open waters leads to further warming, making it very unlikely that previous ice levels will be achieved any time soon. Artic sea ice loss is a major indicator of abrupt, runaway climate change [search]. As a trained ecologist it hurts so much to see these dispassionate presentations that clearly indicate global ecological collapse.